Customs officials assaulted in Malda

Statesman News Service

MALDA, 26 AUG: A group of criminals today dragged raiding customs department officials out of their vehicles and assaulted them at two separate locations in Malda. The criminals also abducted two of the officials, thrashed them for information and then released them. The victims did not lodge any police complaint, which has surprised police.

The first incident took place on MK Road in English Bazaar town and the second one on National Highway 34 near Narayanpur under Malda police station.

A group of criminals attacked the vehicle in which the customs officials were travelling near the Manaskamana Temple. They dragged out Mr AB Singh, circle inspector, customs, Raiganj and Mr Anjan Ghosh, superintendent, customs in Dalkhola, of the vehicle and took them to the Malda Town station. The second team of customs officials was attacked at Narayanpur.

One group of the customs officials intimated police of the attack on them following which police swung into action and succeeded in rescuing both the teams subsequently.

Police were, however, puzzled when the victims refused to lodge an official complaint against the criminals. The officer-in-charge, English Bazaar, Mr Jayanta Lodh Chowdhury refused to comment on the matter but admitted that the customs officials had not lodged any official complaint.

One of the victims Mr Anjan Ghosh, superintendent, customs, Dalkhola said that they had come from adjacent North Dinajpur district to conduct a raid in Malda. He admitted that their Malda counterparts were not aware of their action. “The assailants had information of the raid and were prepared in advance,” he alleged. Asked why they had not lodged a police complaint despite the attack on them, Mr Ghosh, said: “We would like to sort it out among ourselves.”